Fire destroys part of North Winds motel in Brackley Beach

Firefighters have contained a fire that has destroyed part of the North Winds Inn and Suites in the Brackley Beach area.

Fire officials initially said there were no injuries but Fire Marshal Dave Rossiter later clarified one guest was taken to hospital with minor burns.

Much of the motel complex remains intact, but a stand-alone building that housed suites and weddings behind the main building is completely gone.

CBC reporter Stephanie vanKampen reported firefighters doused the woods behind the motel so the wind didn't spread the fire. Winds are high and there was a heat warning in effect today.

VanKampen said a mulch flower bed about 500 metres away from the flames was also burning.

Seven fire departments responded. They were called to the motel at around 4 p.m.

The fire was reported to be contained at 6 p.m.

"Luckily, everyone got out of the building," said New Glasgow Fire Chief Jason Peters.

Peters said crews continued to put out hot spots into the evening now and tankers are getting water from Dalvay.

"The building is a complete loss," Peters said.

P.E.I RCMP asked motorists to avoid the area and closed some roads.

Smoke from the fire was visible from several kilometres away and people in the area have been posting about it on social media.

Judy Profitt lives across the street and says ash and smoke were coming in her windows when she rushed home after seeing the billowing smoke. 

She called the North Winds "the anchor of accommodation in the Brackley Beach area," a place for tourists as well as a spot where locals celebrated events like New Year's. 

"Anybody who is a friend or neighbour is feeling sorry for the situation," she said. "It's a major loss."

Irene Dawson said she knows who owns the motel and worked in the general area for a number of years.

"This is just devastating," she said.

It is the middle of tourism season on P.E.I. and Dawson said the fire won't help.

"Terrible loss. I would hope that rebuilding would happen relatively soon, but certainly an impact on the community that has been so supportive of these types of operations in the community," she said.

Ruby Eccles and Dean Eccles are visiting P.E.I. from Indiana on a bus tour for their 62nd anniversary. They were staying at the inn at the time of the fire, but not in the section that burned.

They said they skipped the tour on Sunday and were alerted about the fire by someone banging on the door while they were resting.

"We did have our passports, thank goodness," Ruby Eccles said.

Ruby Eccles said it was clear there was a fire as soon as they stepped out of the building.

"Flames were just leaping really really high," she said.

She heard pops and explosions as black smoke billowed into the air. "We're fine. We have to be thankful."

She said people in the area stopped their cars and entered the building to help knock on doors.

"We don't know what is going to happen, where we're even going to be tonight," Ruby said.